Laura Riding Jackson Foundation Inc

The Foundation creates a gathering place for writers of all ages and provide a supportive environment in which to extend their skills, interact with professional writers, other local writers, and have the benefit of structured events that enhance these goals.

By touring the LRJ home we expect that residents and visitors who come to Vero Beach will better understand the struggles of her pioneers and the adaptations made to live in a tropical climate

Literary education

Students
• Writing workshops led by professionals for high schoolers called Teen Writer Workshops (TWW)
• Middle School summer writing camp called Write in the Middle (WIM)
• An oral/written history project to interview elderly residents called Teens Listen
• School district-wide poetry contest
• LRJF Writing Awards recognizing students in each county high school (4)
Adult
• Ongoing writing workshops for local writers
• Professionally led instructional writing workshops
• Weekend retreats with a professional Author
Community
• Annual Poetry Barbeque that brings in 3 nationally known poets from around the USA
• CAST…A Shakespeare performing troupe from Cambridge University (UK) that present workshops and performances
• First Friday Gallery Stroll introducing local and visiting authors
• Poetry Open Mike several times per year
• Sponsorship of a local poets group the Porch Poets

Historic Preservation
The house is open to the public on a regular basis with
• scheduled docent guided tours and tours by appointment
• The house is made available for group meetings and activities upon request
• There are Informational signs around the exterior with QR readers connected to videos about Laura and the house
• The Foundation does outreach to the community through speaking engagements on the history architecture and preservation of the house
• The Foundation encourages school field trips and has a long history of students coming through the house
• The LRJF preservation committee monitors the conditions of the house and the objects in it; raises funds and prepares proposals and grants for funding these activities Raising funds to preserve the house, e.g., painting,

Laura (Riding) Jackson Foundation is led by a committed group of volunteers from various parts of our community, many of whom have specific skills, eg. historic preservation, legal, accounting, education, writers. Since December 2017, LRJF has operated a Writing Center in the historic downtown of Vero Beach which has become a gathering place for local writers. A part-time educational program director and a part time administrative assistant manage the Writing Center. Volunteer committees manage the other activities, e.g. historic preservation, workshop schedules, publicity, fundraising.

Donations, grants and special events provide the funds for the various activities. Each year, the foundation has received more recognition

A recent grant has provided fundraising software and coaching to help the volunteers improve skills.

The Writing Center has become the gathering place for writers. Attendance at the on weekly sessions is increasing. Walk-ins are also more frequent. The Foundation is recognized as the place for writers to gather for support with all aspects of their work - from getting started, to getting published.

Introducing Shakespeare to the community for 10 years by bringing the Cambridge American Stage Tour (CAST) to the US to run workshops and perform a play

Since 2000, Teen Writers Workshops have offered teens instruction by professional writers

Adult Writers Workshops offer professional instruction to community members interested in writing

Since 1994 school groups have toured the LRJ historic home

Our first ever "Write in the Middle", a summer camp for middle school students, was well attended and very successful.

The formal, instructional workshops has increased attendance.

Next: the historic home will be moved to the campus of Indian River State College. In addition to having the current programs continue, additions programs will be integrated into the college courses in humanities, literature and education.